VISITORS to the Camberley Theatre will be dished up a second helping of the award-winning Dinnerladies next month.

Based on Victoria Wood’s hit TV sitcom, the new stage show starts a seven-month tour at the Knoll Road theatre and actor Andrew Dunn, who plays canteen manager Tony, can’t wait. “It’s a new stage show with a different story,” he told What’s On during a break from rehearsals last Thursday.

“We’re just coming to the end of the first week of rehearsals, which is always a very bizarre time.

“There’s only about five of us from the old tour so there are lots of new cast members to get to know.

“It’s quite a complicated piece with lots of fast movement.

“We’re coming to the end of the first week rehearsing and everyone is thinking where am I and what should I be doing? Hopefully it will all come together when we open in Camberley in a few weeks time.”

Written, co-produced by and starring Victoria Wood, the original sitcom ran on BBC 1 for two series – a total of just 16 episodes – from 1998 to 2000.

Wood decided to pull the plug on the show at the height of its popularity – it won Best Comedy at the 2000 British Comedy Awards.

It was also voted 9th in an all-time list of favourite sitcoms.

Set in a Manchester canteen, it featured deputy manager Bren to whom many of the characters come for advice, despite the fact that she is riddled with self doubt as a result of a former unhappy marriage and a childhood in care.

She has feelings for divorced canteen manager Tony, who is battling cancer and is boisterous and funny but deep down a very shy man.

Philippa is the scatterbrained, middle class human resources manager whose well meaning attempts to streamline the work place usually end in disaster. Jean and Dolly are gossipy older ladies: the former stuck in a loveless marriage she ultimately escapes; the latter a catty, critical and caustic commentator on everyone else.

Stan is the grumbling handyman, regaling his colleagues with unlikely stories about his father’s antics as a Desert Rat, while the younger members of the team are slacker Twinkle and the dense Anita.

A play based on the television show premiered in London in April 2009.

Based on the second series of the show, it concentrated on the romance between Bren and Tony.

“The new show is all about what happens to everyone when the factory closes,” said Andrew, who played Janice Battersby’s love interest in Coronation Street.

“Hopefully it will give people the chance to forget their troubles at the theatre door and have a good time.”

Dinnerladies is at the Camberley Theatre on February 4 and 5 at 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets are £21.50 or £19.50 concessions. Call 01276 707600 or visit www.camberleytheatre.biz .